THE GOD OF GLORY

When the words of a psalm are quoted in the New Testament, making reference to, or about our Lord Jesus Christ, it has been titled a "Messianic psalm." Psalm 8 is one of those because of quotations in 1st Corinthians 15 and Hebrews 8, making specific references to Christ. The beginning and the end of this psalm are expressions of the greatness of God and the wonder of such a Supreme Being having a personal interest in "all the earth." As this song of praise, which David wrote, gave expression in words to the God of wonders, it may have been accompanied by the music of a soulful-sounding instrument or sung by those who were laboring together as they brought in the harvest. As a choir of sincere voices, it would have had a dramatic effect, as from people who were hidden among the vines where they worked, the blending of their voices declared praise to the wonder of God Himself.

The whole earth declares the wonder of God, and people who have never heard the Gospel preached are without excuse as to the fact of God when they look up to see the heavens that "declare the glory of God," and see the firmament that shows His handiwork. Then, of even greater impact to people all over the world is the miracle of a newborn baby. We look at such a small infant and wonder at the life that has formed and developed for months, and then right before our eyes, the first sounds, sights, and evidence of personhood are visible. We fill up with emotion and realize this did not happen by chance. There is design here. There is intelligence far beyond our capacity that made this happen. This is not some random accident of lifeless, emotionless, purposeless, hopeless power that started with a Big Bang.

When our own child is held in one's arms for the first time, the joy of the miracle of new life makes the pain of birth to soon fade. That little face, the miniature body parts, the fingernails, and such softness declare more about God in His wisdom and life-giving power than all the stars in their order and place in the sky. We look up with awe at the starlit night sky and feel insignificant and extremely small to the extent that we may be inclined to harbor the thought, "I am so small, like a speck of dust, that I don't have any value." But then we look at the miniature human being just born, and then starting to walk and talk, and we see in a far greater way the wonder of our Creator-God.

The chains of DNA codes that make up a human body, if joined together end to end, would go to the sun and back three hundred times. The arteries, veins, and capillaries that move gallons of blood through the human body and bring life-giving nutrients to each body part, if joined end to end, would reach the moon. Each small part of the infant child, whose life began at conception as two very small particles coming together, had in it from its beginning all that makes personhood. The color of the eyes, the body structure, and personality attributes are all in that person from conception. Intelligence, family characteristics, and individuality make a person complete from day one. The development of the physical body does not determine its value. Whether it is an undeveloped embryo that immediately starts to grow at conception, the growing child in the mother's womb, or the crying baby at birth, that person is a reflection of God, made in His image. Life has been given to us by God. A thirty-pound boy is as much a person as a 220-pound man.

God shows His nature, His personhood, and His existence more clearly in infants than in the stars. The physical universe was made with a word by His "fingers." It just stays doing what it was created to do. What God is like as a Person is seen in humans in a personal and spiritual sense. Barriers to faith can be quickly removed when we stop and consider all we can see. For His own reasons, God, who created man in His own image, has not abandoned humanity without a thought, even though we have "all sinned and come short of the glory of God."

In ourselves, human beings are weak and frail. We are among the weakest of creatures. Even the barriers of size and strength of the creation of plants and animals around us would be daunting if it weren't for the fact that God has given humans dominion over the works of His hands. When we see ourselves in the light of creation and in the light of the word of God, hopefully, it produces in us genuine humility in the sense of having a proper understanding of who we are compared to the majesty and glory of God.

That does not mean we are to view a human being as of no worth because of our mortality and limitations. The word "angels" in verse five is one of the words used for God Himself (Elohim). So, whether that has to do with our limitations to earth itself or our position in the divine order of things, it does not change the fact that in an act of marvelous grace, God has "crowned him with glory and honor." With that comes the delegated responsibility to exercise dominion over animals and creatures the Lord created, even though they may be far bigger than we are.

There has been given to mankind the authority to use what God created for our use and for God's glory. But that authority does not give us the right to abuse or squander what has been given to us. Not only are these things for our use, but they are to be used in ways that appropriately reflect God and His character. Trees and plants are for food and ways to make shelters. Large and small animals can be trained for practical use or pleasure and to maintain human life. Out of all the abundance given for us to use, and sadly, humanity, for the most part, has abused it, in the coming day, everything God created will return to the original function for which it was first created. That was when God saw what He had created, "and it was good."

No wonder David exclaimed in words his wonder of God at the end of this psalm. In reading the psalm out loud, one can sense a greater appreciation at the end of the psalm than when he wrote the same words at the beginning. Meditation on the wonders of God brings greater worship than merely thinking of Him. His glories, His power and authority, and His willingness to bless us move our hearts and voices to echo the words of David for ourselves. "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth."

v. 1-4. The vastness of the heavens: no matter how great the glory of the universe, God is far greater. The cause is greater than the effect. Even greater than the physical cosmos is the sincere praise of children and infants, which is greater than the eloquence of those who can use words well. The nearest star is 30 trillion miles away from Earth. For men to go that far in spaceships is futile thinking. Yet men have developed a system of astrology that assumes the stars have influence over human lives. Then the other side of the coin is that because the Earth is such a little speck in the ocean of space, we are of no significance in an ever- evolving universe. We are only a little spot of organic scum on this dust particle of earth.

So, he asks the question, “What is man that thou visitest him?” The word “visit” = “number” or “acknowledge.” This is the first time in scripture that “the son of man” is used, and it is an obvious reference to the Lord Jesus, as is mentioned in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus applied it to Himself 80 times. So, far from being unimportant, earth and man are central to God’s purposes. We may be insignificant to all that is around us, but not to God. We need to remember that God values man very highly. Just because we are small in size compared to a star, man is more complex. A star is mainly hydrogen and helium. Man is composed of highly complex, integrated systems that all work together.

v.5. Lower than the angels: although there have been fossils of both men and apes found, there is no scientific evidence that indicates, in any way, that man was not created in the image of God, and the Bible says. Angels are “ministering spirits” that are not subject to the limitations that are on man. We are presently under the curse of death. That is why Christ was made lower than the angels for a time that we might receive the salvation that is denied to fallen angels. Jesus took on flesh and blood, not “the nature of angels,” in order to die and rise again to restore man’s dominion. The word for angels here is “elohim” which is the most frequent word for God. Occasionally, it is rendered “gods”, which suggests that here, fallen angels are in view and are worshipped as gods in heathen worship of the sun, moon, and stars.

v. 6-8. Man’s dominion: Man was given dominion over all the works of God’s hands, especially the animal kingdom. Man has never fully done this, and since the flood, there has been an enmity between man and animals that will end after Christ returns. When the Lord Jesus came, He did manifest on occasion His authority over animals as well as the physical creation, giving us a foreshadowing of what man really was intended to be and someday will be.

v. 9. The Son of Man acknowledged: this is where Heb. 2:8-9 comes in. Christ will indeed reign over all the earth and will be acknowledged as King of kings. Then all the earth will exclaim the final words of this psalm. “O Lord Jesus (Jehovah, our Adonai), how excellent is thy name in all the earth.”

Psalm 8: 2. “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength, because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES.

The questions they ask are simple and plain, “Why does the rainbow come after the rain?” “Why does the sun only go down in the west?” “Why do I feel better after taking a rest?” “Why is the grass green instead of sky blue?” “Why does Grandma say I take after you?” Babes are so guileless; they mean what they say, They are learning from you even when they’re at play. We have to think carefully when an answer we give,

Because what we say now will affect how they live.

They are able to see beauty in the littlest things, They find the contentment that understanding brings. “Do you think God sees us sitting under this tree?” “How do you know that Jesus loves me?” “Where did God come from? What’s His house like?” “Are the stars God’s light bulbs that He turns on at night?” “Why is Grandpa lying dressed up in a box?” “Why’s my cat different from a dog or a fox?” On the foundation of questions, they learn about God, And it’s up to me to teach them God’s Word.

Like a child, I have questions that to my Father I ask, “What will I do when this training time is past?” “How can I fit in Thy work the best possible way?” “Is there some special work I should be doing today?” “How can I give joy to a child or a man?” “I am ready to serve Thee in the best way that I can.” I know that Christ’s name is above every name, I know He’s the Creator, the Almighty, the great “I AM.” Please keep me like a babe with a longing to know; More understanding of God, more Christ-like to grow.

“Loving Father, I am only a child who is knowing more and more each day how little I know. But I am curious about a lot of things, so please, when I ask why I have this pain or why that attempt to serve Thee failed – if it is possible and for my good – let me know. If it is none of my business to know the reason why some things happen, well, I am okay with that, too. My best friend died in his prime of life, and I still don’t know why, so I understand that I am not to know. Some work we have been involved in isn’t going all that great – I would like to know what to do to help it. Whatever way You choose to answer, I will still say, ‘O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth.’ Amen.”